What is the actual cost of importing a 25+ year old car to the US?

[deevergote]

I'm not planning on doing this, at least not anytime in the foreseeable future... but I love to look at old cars eligible for importation and dream. However, my dreams are always soured by the thought of importation costs.
Sure, a car is $7000 FOB (meaning that's the cost you pay to get the car delivered to the ship in the country of origin), but how much is the shipping?
How much are the customs fees?
How much are the importer fees (assuming you go through one, which seems to be the wise choice)?
How much are taxes? I assume taxes are paid at the time of registration, as with any private-party car sale... but based on what amount?

I'm posting this to get an idea of what it would actually take to import a car. I figure others may have experience, or have done research on the topic. If not, then maybe we can stick our heads together and figure it out!


I just want to be able to see that $7000 car and know for sure if it's really a $10,000 car, or a $12,000 car, or more... or less!

[CyborgGT]

Have you tried contacting an importer, such as Japanese Classics LLC? I wouldn't think they'd be trying to keep something like that secret.

Some official US gov't info, though no exact pricing:
http://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-impor.../importing-car

Super Street article
http://www.superstreetonline.com/fea...-into-the-usa/

[deevergote]

I hate when i have something typed up and forget to send it before I click away!

I haven't contacted an RI, simply because I don't want to waste their time with questions that are simply to satisfy my curiosity. By the time I'm actually capable of importing, if I ever decide to, things will most certainly have changed!

Man, that government page will make you go crosseyed!

[CyborgGT]

Found some shipping estimates here, using a CB3 Accord as the example:
http://www.tradecarview.com/ship/?mk...&oc=392&dc=840

Not sure what "Ro-Ro" is exactly, but it looks like if you can wait up to a month (less if you get lucky with timing), you can get a car from Japan to America for just under $1000.

There's also insurance to think about...

...

Going back to that gov't link, it looks like there are two ways of handling entry, either through CBP (Customs and Border Protection) if the car meets emissions requirements or is exempt, or an ICI (independent commercial importer) if the vehicle does not meet emissions requirements and requires modification to do so. "ICI fees are generally very high." I assume this would also include crash safety requirements, like the side impact bars in the doors that Skylines lack. I remember reading a while back that this work has to be done within a short amount of time after the car enters the country. I suppose this stuff is a non issue with 25yo cars?

Dutiable entry fee for a car is 2.5% (of value of car, it looks like). Different rates for trucks and motorcycles, and most Canadian made vehicles are free.

There's an $800 CBP exemption for Returning US Residents ("from travel, work, or study abroad") toward the value of the vehicle... After which there is a flat duty rate of 3%.

...

Found this other interesting article about a personal experience from late 2014:

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/import...ing-1600609343

His importer charged $2k in fees, which included shipping but not customs.

3. Customs Entry $ 200.00

4. EPA Filing $ 50.00

5. DOT Filing $ 50.00

6. Single Bond $ 104.00

7. Customs Duty $ 156.34 ( Estimated )

8. Terminal P/U $ 85.00

I also needed the car shipped. I would need at least one other person to help me bring the car back. Unfortunately I work weekends and nobody else I know that would help has free days during the week. I found some shippers who would do it for $230 from LA to Las Vegas, however the customs broker said they will only allow shippers that have the ability to ship from a port, i forget the exact terminology but they had to be cleared to ship by customs. The cost for this? $625.00

Looks like a car he paid $2500 for in Japan ended up costing $7300 to get driving in America.